Incremental printing of symbolic information – Thermal marking apparatus or processes – Multicolor
Patent
1998-04-03
1999-11-02
Burr, Edgar
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Thermal marking apparatus or processes
Multicolor
347178, 4002403, 4002404, 40012002, B41J 2325
Patent
active
059780053
ABSTRACT:
Thermal printer and method for detecting donor ribbon type and for precise alignment of color patches relative to a thermal resistive print head. The printer includes a thermal resistive print head for thermally activating each donor color patch in a series of donor patches belonging to a dye donor ribbon having a predetermined width. Separating adjacent ones of the patches is a space in which is formed a first stripe extending the entire width of the ribbon. The first stripe defines borders between the adjacent color patches. A second stripe of a predetermined width together with the first stripe are disposed in the space before a beginning one of the color patches to define a beginning sequence of color patches. The second stripe is adjacent to and spaced-apart from the first mark by a predetermined distance and also extends the width of the ribbon parallel to the first stripe. Because the first stripe and the second stripe are continuous and extend the entire width of the ribbon, only a single sensor is necessary for detecting the stripes. Also, a ratio of the width of the second stripe to the distance between the second stripe and its adjacent first stripe is unique to each donor type and is used to inform the printer of the specific donor type loaded into the printer. In addition, presence of the first stripe between adjacent donor patches defines the beginning borders of each donor patch, so that each donor patch is precisely alignable with the print head.
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Burr Edgar
Eastman Kodak Company
Ghatt Dave A.
Stevens Walter S.
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